NorthSolarCalc › By State › Arizona
🦅 Arizona Solar Panel Calculator
Arizona leads the US in solar potential with 7+ daily peak sun hours and low installation costs.
Rates and incentive status reviewed 2026-07-27
Avg rate: $0.128/kWh · 7.5 peak sun hrs/day
Your Solar Estimate for Arizona
Rates and incentive status reviewed 2026-07-27
6.4 kW
System Size
recommended
9.5 yrs
Payback Period
break-even
$48,610
25-Year Savings
net profit
5.4t
CO₂ Offset
per year
This estimate does not deduct the expired US federal 30% residential tax credit (ended for spending after 2025-12-31) or the closed Canada Greener Homes Grant/Loan. It also does not assume any unverified state, provincial, or utility rebate. See methodology and confirm current incentives with your state/province, utility, or a tax professional before budgeting for one.
⚠️ Arizona has partial net metering — excess solar credits may be limited. Check with your utility.
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Arizona Solar Facts
$0.128/kWh
Avg Electricity Rate
7.5 hours
Daily Peak Sun Hours
Expired (ended 2025-12-31)
Federal Incentive Status
Electricity rate: U.S. EIA / Statistics Canada utility filings. Peak sun hours: NREL PVWatts. Federal incentive status verified against IRS.gov and Natural Resources Canada. See methodology for full assumptions.
Net Metering in Arizona
Arizona has partial net metering — you receive some credit for excess solar energy, but at a reduced rate. Factor this into your ROI calculation.
Net metering rules are set by state/provincial regulators and utilities and can change — confirm current terms with your utility before purchasing.
Utility Landscape in Arizona
Arizona's solar economics split three ways depending on who serves your address. Arizona Public Service (APS) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) are investor-owned utilities regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission, and both credit exported solar at a rate tied to the wholesale value of energy rather than the full retail price. Salt River Project (SRP), which serves much of the Phoenix metro including Tempe, Chandler, and Mesa, is a public power utility exempt from ACC oversight — it sets its own rules, including a mandatory demand charge for solar customers that changes how a system pays back. Confirm which of the three actually serves your address before trusting any generic Arizona payback figure.
How Solar Varies Within Arizona
Sun exposure is less uniform across the state than its reputation suggests. The low desert around Phoenix delivers 7.5+ peak sun hours, but extreme summer heat reduces panel output through simple physics — silicon panels lose efficiency as they get hotter, so July production per panel is measurably below what the same panel produces in cooler months. Flagstaff, at over 2,100 m elevation, runs cooler and gets more efficient panel performance per sun-hour, but loses production days to winter snow cover — an unusual tradeoff for a state known for year-round sun.
Worth Knowing Locally
Arizona's monsoon season (roughly July–September) brings dust storms that coat panels and temporarily cut output; installers in the Phoenix area typically recommend cleaning on a monsoon-driven schedule rather than a fixed annual one.
What This Estimate Does Not Assume
This calculator does not automatically apply the expired US federal 30% residential tax credit, the closed Canada Greener Homes Grant or Loan, or any unconfirmed state or utility rebate for Arizona. If you find a currently active program, confirm it with the issuing agency — we link the general databases we trust in our methodology page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is solar worth it in Arizona?+
Does Arizona still get the 30% federal solar tax credit in 2026?+
How long does solar take to pay back in Arizona?+
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